So, you’re looking into beanie baby september 26. Maybe you found a tag with that date, or you're scrolling through eBay and saw a "rare" listing that made your eyes pop. Honestly, the world of Ty collecting is weird. It’s full of urban legends and people trying to sell a $5 beanbag for the price of a used Honda Civic.
But September 26 isn't just a random Tuesday on the calendar. In the Beanie world, this date carries a specific kind of weight. It’s a mix of celebrity birthdays, employee-only rarities, and a very specific "Birthday Bear" that lists some of the biggest names in the world inside its ear.
The Bear That Name-Drops Serena Williams
If you have a blue bear with a party hat and a silver present on its chest, you're looking at September the Birthday Bear. This specific version was part of a series Ty released where each month got its own mascot.
Check the poem. It’s not just a cute rhyme. It literally says:
"Sharing birthdays this month: Pink – Sept 8, Prince Harry – Sept 15, Serena Williams – Sept 26."
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That’s why people hunt for the beanie baby september 26 connection. They aren't looking for a bear born on that day—they're looking for the bear that celebrates Serena Williams' birthday. It was retired back in November 2002, which makes it a "vintage" piece now, though "vintage" in Beanie terms usually just means it’s been sitting in someone’s attic for twenty years.
Is It Actually Worth Money?
Let's be real. Most "September" bears are worth about what you'd pay for a fancy latte. Maybe $7 to $15 if the tag is mint.
However, there is a "holy grail" event tied to this date that most casual fans miss. On September 26, 1998, Ty Warner did something legendary. He gave out the very first Billionaire Bear to his employees.
This wasn't a store release. You couldn't buy it at Hallmark. It was a gift to celebrate Ty Inc. hitting a billion dollars in sales. Because it was an employee-only item, it’s genuinely rare. If you find a bear with a "Billionaire" tag and a "September 26" significance in the lore, you aren't looking at a $10 toy anymore. You're looking at hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars depending on the authentication.
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The "Slayer" Mystery
There’s another niche character often linked to this date. Slayer the Dragon.
Slayer has a confirmed birth date of September 26, 2000. Unlike the birthday bears, Slayer is a dark, moody-looking dragon. He doesn't have the "celebrity" poem, but for collectors who specifically collect by birth date, he’s the primary target for the beanie baby september 26 slot.
He’s not "retire-and-buy-a-mansion" expensive. Usually, he goes for $10 to $20. But he’s a favorite for people born on that day who want a "birthday twin" that isn't a generic bear in a hat.
Don't Fall for the "Error Tag" Scams
If you go on a site like Etsy or eBay, you’ll see listings for beanie baby september 26 bears for $5,000. They usually claim "rare errors" like a space before a comma or a misspelled city name.
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Don't buy the hype.
Most of these "errors" were actually mass-produced. Ty’s factories in China and Indonesia pumped out millions of these things, and typos were common. A typo doesn't make a bear rare; rarity comes from low production numbers. The Birthday Bear with the Serena Williams mention was mass-produced. Unless it’s signed by Ty Warner himself or has a verified "one-of-a-kind" manufacturing defect (like the wrong fabric color entirely), it’s a sentimental item, not a financial investment.
How to Check if Yours is Special
- The Tush Tag: Look for "PVC Pellets" vs. "PE Pellets." PVC is usually older and slightly more desirable to hardcore collectors.
- The Hang Tag: Is it flat? Creased? If the tag is bent, the value drops by 50% instantly. It’s brutal, but that’s the hobby.
- The Generation: Check the "heart" tag. A 4th or 5th generation tag (the most common) is likely worth very little.
What to Do Next
If you’ve realized your beanie baby september 26 bear isn't a ticket to early retirement, don't toss it. These make great "year of birth" gifts for people born in 1981 (Serena's year) or anyone who just loves the early 2000s aesthetic.
Check the tush tag for a red stamp. If there’s a number inside that stamp, it tells you which factory it came from. Collectors sometimes pay a tiny premium for specific factory stamps, though it's a deep rabbit hole you might not want to go down unless you really love plushies.
Verify your specific bear’s "Style Number" on a database like TyCollector. This is the only way to know if you have a common retail version or something like the employee-only Billionaire series that actually has some meat on the bone.